


Discharge

by GammaPrime



Series: TRANSFORMERS CHRONICLES [9]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Artificial Intelligence, Bonding, Training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:55:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28162791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GammaPrime/pseuds/GammaPrime
Summary: Andrea Morales, head of the research team behind Project Skybolt, has been spending too much time teaching the AI things her colleagues believe to be useless.
Series: TRANSFORMERS CHRONICLES [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2060217
Kudos: 1
Collections: TRANSFORMERS CHRONICLES





	Discharge

In one of the many top-secret labs of the Cullen Air Force Base, a young Latina woman sat at her terminal, playing a game of Street Fighter II. While this activity may have appeared frivolous to her superiors, she would argue that it was simply another training exercise for the impressive mass of computer hardware that was connected to her machine. This electronic brain had been pieced together from cutting-edge United States military hardware, along with the salvaged remains of hardware discovered 35 years ago in the wreckage of an alien spacecraft. This was the brain of Project Skybolt. 

In this seemingly frivolous video game, the Project Skybolt AI had assumed control of her opponent, who struck the woman's avatar with a fireball at a moment when her guard was down, causing its health bar at the top of the screen to deplete. "Can't let my guard down for even a millisecond, can I, Skybolt?" she laughed, taking her avatar's damage in stride.

Skybolt simply attacked her avatar again, further depleting its health bar and bringing it closer to the KO mark. "Opponent's focus has diverted," the AI observed, its thoughts conveyed through the computer's built-in speech synthesizer.

"Good point," the woman replied before performing her avatar's special move against Skybolt, who responded with yet another fireball, knocking her out and winning the match. "You're getting scarily good at this, Sky. I just hope this translates to success on the real-world battlefield. Arkeville's been on my butt about this for way too long."

"Correction: Dr. Silas Arkeville has not made contact with your posterior region, Dr. Andrea Morales."

"It's an expression, Skybolt," Andrea corrected while adjusting her glasses. "I'm sure you'll figure it out in time. After all, I could mop the floor with you at this game last week."

Skybolt processed Andrea's response, quickly concluding that her expression about mopping the floor was not literal. The AI reviewed its performance at the game a week prior to the current day, discovering that, due to its lack of experience, it was being soundly defeated in every round. "Experience was insufficient on date 8 August 1998."

"It took me at least a month to beat my cousin at this game," Andrea replied, far more impressed by the AI's progress than upset at being defeated by it. "At the rate you're progressing, you should be able to adapt to any combat situation easily."

"How many times must I remind you that whatever Project Skybolt gains from playing these frivolous games will not translate to meaningful combat skills?"

Andrea quickly spun her chair around to see Silas Arkeville standing in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. "Maybe not, but they do show his incredible learning ability. Last week, he barely knew how to control his avatar. This week, he's beating me pretty soundly. It took me a month to reach a similar skill level."

"Regardless, there are more productive ways to train Project Skybolt. I must regretfully inform you that you have been relieved of your position as head of the Skybolt AI research team."

She turned back around slowly to face the screen of what would soon be someone else's terminal. "I guess that was our last game, Sky."

"Skybolt will...mop the floor...with future opponents."

"Yeah, you would, but I don't think that my replacement is gonna be playing this game with you."

"You do realize that Project Skybolt is not a person, correct? It is a highly advanced piece of military hardware."

"Yeah, but it might be smart to give him even the slightest bit of humanity," Andrea argued. "I'm sure you've seen Terminator."

Arkeville furrowed his brow.

"Yeah, I guess I should delete this stuff," Andrea said with a sigh as she clicked the commands necessary to delete the game from the computer.

"Don't waste your time with a heart-felt goodbye to Skybolt. Just leave now."

Andrea let out a sharp sigh as she got up from her chair. "Don't come crying to me if Skybolt turns on us or something," she huffed.

"Heart-felt goodbye, Andrea Morales," Skybolt spoke, repeating Arkeville's expression.

"I might have a bit of work to do," Silas commented. "It was a mistake to place a child like Miss Morales in charge of your development."

"Andrea Morales...Current age: 21 years."

Arkeville snorted. "That is hardly an age I would equate with maturity. She would do better to spend all night at the nearest club, only to stumble back to a run-down apartment while being too drunk to see straight."

His condescending thoughts were interrupted by the ring of a telephone, which he quickly picked up. "Has the delay been dealt with, Doctor?" inquired the voice of the caller.

"It has, sir," he replied.

"Good. I trust that your pet project will progress much faster in your capable hands," the caller commented, his voice tinged with insincerity. "After all, the enemy NBEs have been awakened. Skybolt must be ready to deal with them."


End file.
